DAY 49 : PRETTY IN PINK....

And today on the 2nd May 2011, my little Zene Zoe finally turned 4..
We'll the reason I'm saying "finally' is because we have been celebrating her birthday since April as she is born in May and everyone is on holidays..
So 13th April the school party,25th April the family party , 30th April, her God-Mother threw her a birthday party in Dallas and today finally we sang ''Happy Birthday " to her on her real birthday...made her this pink cake in the shape of number 4 on it ...and she beamed from ear to ear as her brothers Zeke, Kyle and Cruz sang to her and clapped for her...they all then sank their teeth into this plain sponge cake with a strawberry butter-cream icing..
I make this cake at home all the time whenever Arshad has a meeting and there is nothing at all and I'm stuck ..I just put my ingredients together and ABRA-KA-DABRA-KAZAM !!!!
The softest and spongiest cake that you just want to keep biting into is sitting quietly in your oven !!!!

INGREDIENTS
Flour: 100gms
Milk powder : 50 gms
Castor sugar :120 gms
Butter : 150 gms
Eggs : 3
Salt : a pinch
Vanilla essence a few drops
Baking powder : 1/2 tsp
Milk : 50 ml

Sieve salt, baking powder, salt and milk powder together..
Cream the butter and the sugar very well together..
Fold in the flour and adjust the consistency with milk...
Pour the mix into a 6 inch greased tray and bake for 45 minutes at 150 degrees...

Its actually that simple and my sisters kitchen has this lovely aroma wafting through...

My sister Juliet who is 2 years younger than me .... lives in Dallas and has the most beautiful house and lovely boys Kyle and Cruz , and the most wonderful husband Raj....who is great with the kids, the house, computers, cooking , cleaning,entertaining the kids and he also works.....
Well Julu n me were pregnant together...actually she always got pregnant 1st and i think it's contagious because i was pregnant soon after...both the times...
Zene Zoe is Julu's God-child..and is as feisty as her god mother and is used to having her own way like her mother, she is charming like her Dada and has him wrapped around her little fingers..
I think girls come with their own special manual that the boys don't really get...
Because Zene says the most amazing things and has her Dad's sense of humour...
Like this one time when she was not well, I asked her how she was feeling and she said,"My fever is gone" then she smiled looked up at me and said "down to play", we'll coming from a 3 year old i thought that was wicked...
I think Zene is incredible ....but then I'm her mum and i guess all mum's feel that way about their kid's...
But she really is the sweetest, and she just holds my face in her hands and looks into my eyes and says's "mama i love you "..
Sometimes she just gives me a hug when I'm feeling blue ...like she just knows ...and when we go to sleep she hugs my face onto her little chest and gives me little kisses......sometimes i feel like I'm her little girl...she makes me feel protected , loved, warm , peaceful , beautiful and incredibly lucky that i have her...That's my little Zene Zoe in a nut shell...
And her tantrums are world class and adorable....she gets upset and then just walks out of the room and goes and sits on her bed with her cute face in her hands...she chucks thing's (that's not good at all, but i do that too)...she has a sad walk..which is this slow drag ....and its basically slow because she wants us to run after her and pick her up and kiss her and hug her , and then sometimes she just stands behind a wall and shows us her little finger.....because she is upset about something....
Oh! God, I can just keep talking about Zene...
You know I love my babies and the whole experience of getting pregnant ,getting fat ,then struggling to loose weight , the hair loss, the skin changing , my nails breaking, my gorgeous clothes not fitting, my shoe size increasing, not sleeping ...i even love each and every little stretch marks ( thank-fully very few of those ) ...kids are the most perfect part of a relationship.......
So this pink cake is for my little Zene Zoe...
it's like her soft, yet firm and easy ..only if you follow the instructions and the best quality ingredients...Girls are high maintenance ...but that you already know ...ha ha ha
I just pray to God to keep that vibrant smile on her face forever and may she always stay safe mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally...and that smile , that million dollar smile intact...
GOD BLESS U MY ZENE POOIEE...
And for all of you this soft and simple "PRETTY IN PINK" cake made with lotsa love and incredible patience only from "Maria's Kitchen"......

DAY 47 : BAGHI BIDS US ADIEU

These are the hands that have held the hands of the most precious part of my life.......
This girl walked into my home when Zeke was about 1 and a half .....
and frankly helped me whole heartedly with Zeke...then came Zene along the way and Bhagi that's what we call her, her full name is Bhagyashree...took to her like a fish takes to water ...And frankly today as she packs her bags to leave us after 5 years ,as she is getting married , i have a lump in my heart...

She is tiny in size but can pack a punch..feisty and stands up for herself and has been such a wonderful person to me...
She does not get easily bullied ..though Zeke tries carrying her to show us that he has become very strong.......
I thank her from the bottom of my heart, because if she was not here to help me out with the kids i would not be able to do my baking at Sophia's.....

She is too cute and I have walked into the kids room to see Baghi entwined like a pretzel rolling around the room.....with Zeke and Zene laughing and clapping...she also used to do head stands ...because i have also walked into the room to see Zeke n she plastered against a wall having a competition...
Zene is fiercely possessive about her Baghi Didi and would get upset if she played with other kids like she plays with her....
She has played , danced , sung , eaten , chased, cooked and been a kid with my kids...
All Zeke wants to do is grow taller than her and cant believe she is getting married because she looks like a little thing herself...
And my Zene is going to miss her 'Baghi didi" terribly because i know how much she loves her and the feeling is mutual...
She has jumped into pools with the kids fully dressed in her chudidaar....
she has taught them games, fed them with patience , run after them and has been their Bollywood song tutor, every time Zene sings a new song...I know its Baghi's flavour of the month...
She loves her saas-bahu serials and her spicy chutneys ..that she would share with me....
Will miss her every time i go to the market to buy fish and her bright happy face around the house and her chirpy joyful voice...
It's amazing that the only thing constant in life is change.....
And today as my Baghi leaves to set up her own family...
I pray to GOD to keep her happy and blessed and may her life be filled with immense joy and helpful people...
I made her this cake yesterday and all of us cut it singing to her "All the best" but of course the kids started singing "golmaal ...golmaal ..baghi is back again..."..
Don't know if they are able to understand that she is never coming back....
I know they will miss her terribly...
Okay have to stop getting so emotional and give you the recipe...

Wanted to make something really nice for her so zeroed down on this cake recipe i took straight out of Nigella Lawson's cook book, because i love her food...and this was pretty easy and fun to eat..
and i really like it out of the oven and with some ice-cream...

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, optional (recommended: Cointreau)
• 1 orange, zested

Directions

For the cream topping:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, optional (recommended: Cointreau)
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for sprinkling

Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Line the bottom of the cake pan with baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, add the butter and let melt in the warm chocolate.

Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the orange-flavored liqueur and the orange zest.

In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites.

Here I added 100gm of almond flour mixed with maida ...

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no long wobbly. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

When you are ready to eat, place the still pan-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges...because it tastes awesome with all its outer flaws...

Just reminded me sooo much of Baghi.she may not have all the right moves but her heart is in the right place...

WILL MISS YOU DEAREST BAGHI...

HAVE A HAPPY LIFE

''THE GOOD-BYE CAKE" baked this with a lump in my heart for little Baghi who will always be remembered with a smile...

Stay happy and blessed....

DAY 42 : TOOMUCKINGFUCH CAKE

This is just a preview of what I'm making, the kids are out playing so I'm going for it with cointreau, oranges, dolche de leche, chocolate and fresh cream...
Oh my god i hope i don't eat it up , making it for Mini place for our friends for Diwali...
HAPPINESS LOVE AND PEACE TO ALL , HAPPY DIWALI GUYS....
lotsa love only from "Maria Kitchen"